Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-15

IMPROVING THE CITY.
Changes In Progress Around the Capt.
tol Building.
4 NEW APARTMENT Hous. 70 FRONT on nm uAPT.
ruL eRoUNDs-orHER IMPROVEMENTS m rHAr
VICINITY AND EIsEwHRRE-PEoPLn m WASHING.
TON WHO own THEIR OWN HOMES
part OF the city that seems recently TO have
caught the spirit Of improvement that has worked
mafvels IN other sections IL that Immediately al
joining the Capitol grounda Years ago, when the
ine old-fashioned residences remaining on New
Jersey avenue, and seen here and there in other
parts Of Capitol Hin were erected this part OF the
city was favored BY fashion and wealth. At Q
period when there were no street car unee and no
stretches OF smooth asphalt pavement leading TO
the uttermost bounds OF the city, the proximity OF
this part OF the city to the Capitol led many sena
tors and Representatives TO make their residence
there. It was gay part OF the Federal city.
With the growth OF the city, however the glory
that had crowned Capitol Hill LETT It to some ex-
tent For years there was little Improvement
there. In fact some Of the SURROUNDINGS Of the
Capitol were very unsiChtly, and were made the
subject OF unfavorable comment by visitors to the
city On the north side. not far nom the building,
were located q series OF old sheds used as car
herd took the matter into his own hands steam
railroad ran for long distance at the foot Of the
hill on the west side. The street-car stables and
has extended and beautifed the grounds, and pri-
vate enterprise Is now adding TO the attractive
IN ses 9 e
by Mr.. W. c. Dodge, Judge Shellabarger Renre-
sentative Springer and Others But the most nota-
Of the square between and c streets and New
Jersey avenue and LIST streets west OLD sheds or
ioro,nooking vacant spaces have given place
OF houses have already been constructed ON Arthur
Place, the new street made through the center Of
square. A handsome row Of dwellings is approach
ing completion on the New Jersey avenue front,
and ground has just been broken for the erection
OF large apartment house at the corner OF New
Jersey avenue and street.
THE MALTBY APARTMENT HOUSE,
This apartment house Is being erected by Mr..
Maltby g. Lane, of New York. from drawings pre-
pared by Robert Stead the architect, OF this city.
The principal entrance viii be through q large
front, thanked by two round towers which extend
to the cOrnice, and are finished with concal-shaped
roofs, the space between the towers being carried
up as gable. On the corner OF New Jersey avenue
and street will be lar tower IA feet in diam
eter, from the windows OF which will be amor led
fine view. over the Botanicals Gardens and mall,
OF the Smithsonian building and Potomac River.
The building will be five stories in height built OF
brick laid in red motar and Potomac re sandstone,
N wta sGn,ce ana mn I ,, Of Goppes and nigh
dining rooms, and on the left the drug store. On
the first floor there are, In addition, two suits of
apartments, and on each of the other floors four
suits. making eighteen in all. In the basement
will be the barber shop, bar, kitchen, laundry,
stOrerooms, &C. The building will cost S97, 500
THE ADJOINING ROW OF HOUSES.
An additional improvement to the neighborhood
surrounding the Capitol is the row OF new resi-
dences adjoining the proposed apartment house,
They are sixteen in number and face New Jersey
avenue, extending to street. They are being
erected by JAS. Renwick Brevoort, the artist, OF
nn RI ho dasfp oP Dbl Cfoa
architect. They are three stories and basement
high, built OF pressed and moulded brick laid in
red mortar, with copper cornice, &C. The row will
PEOPLE WHO OWN THEIR HOMES
Some figures prepared by Mr.. Fish. the District
assessor, show that In the city OF Washington,
exclusive OF West Washington and the county,
there are fifteen thousand five hundred and fiTty-
these owners have large holdings. Mr. Fish esti-
mates that In this city one person out OF every
seven owns his own house. This proportion he
states Is fair when compared with other cities
There Is, he says, large population here OF COL
ored people that came during the war, and many
OF whom are in INDECENT circumstance, that goes
to reduce the proportion OF house O" ners to the
total population Many department clerks and
Others employed by the Government, Mr.. Fish
The FEELING OIL security, encouraged by the civil
service law, has contributed greatly to this result
After President Cleveland was elected, Mr.. Fish
said, some OF the building association men here
were apprehensive that the great changes ex-
pected among the department clerks would be
disastrous 10 the associations On the contrary,
the encouragement received by department clerks
under the present Administration had induced
many TO Invest their savings here and the result
was that the building associations were more
prosperous to-day than ever.
IMPROVEMENTS IN OTHER SECTIONS.
Mr.. NJ. j. Keane has just completed a three-story
dwelling and store on ~ street. adjoining the Bel.
vedere Hotel The front Is laid 10 select red brick
and has circular tower on the north end running
TO cOrDice and finished with a high stepped slate
rOof The ground noor has store IL feet wide by
Is feet deep. The first floor contains parlOr, IL
brary, sitting room, reception room, dining room,
kitchen, pantries and bath room. On the second
floor there will be six chambers and bath room,
with closets to all the rooms. The Interior Is nm
i,hed In cherry and poplar. respectively. The
building will De heated ny furnace in cellar. The
cost will be $500. Mr.. N. X. Grimm Ia the
architect.
Mr. Rein W. Darby and JOS l. Collins, builders,
are erecting two pretty two-stOry dwellin,s on q
street, near 18th street, West Washington, from
designs prepared by N. K. Grimm architect The
fronts are OF press brick Ornamented with moulded
and fancy bricks, anu have steep pitched roofs
covered with slate. They have square bay win
double parlors with sliding doors, wide entrance
halls, dining rooms, kitchens and pantres and pri-
vate stairs. On The second door there will be i've
chambers and bath rooms, with closets to all the
rooms. The nous 3 will be finished In poplar and
will De heated by furnace In Inc cellarx The cost
Will be 81 900.
Saturday Snllles.
His Grace the Juke OF MARLBOROUGH SAWS he de.